time management

Getting some modeling done in smaller increments of time works well.  Being able to get something done in less than half an hour makes for good progress over time.  This mode of modeling makes for a nice balance in leisure time.

CN 57' auto transport progress

I hate wiring.  I need to wire up my Tortoise switch machines to finish my staging yard but I'm just not in the mindset required for that.  Instead I spent more time than I should have working on my auto transport boxcar last night.  Before I knew it it was 2am but good progress had been made.  Of course someone calling at 8am kind of wrecked my plan to catch up on some sleep this morning.

A few years ago I traveled around northern Manitoba on a work related trip.  A few stops along the way turned up some very interesting cars including these 57 foot auto transport cars in Thompson Manitoba, being loaded for points north.  This is the last group of these cars still in use, having been replaced in mainline service with 89' autoracks years ago.  I planned to eventually model these cars so plenty of detail photos were taken.

 Unfortunately I never was able (or willing) to crawl around under the cars to get the brake details down.  Using the Sylvan kit instructions along with interpreting the photos I came up with a reasonable representation of brake gear.  I still need to add some additional hangers and some chain.

Initial door details.  I am going to use some flat brass stock for the door latches, and the photos indicate that the end ladders were removed with a couple of grab irons added at the lower side of the car.  I carved off the ladder supports as these were removed on the cars.  A number of the cars had their doors modified with what appears to be a horizontal plate across the upper part of the car.  I don't know if only one end was done or both.  More research is required. 

 I still need to add the brake details.  The side ladder supports were often left in place so not much more work needs to be done to get the car done.  

Marc Simpson

Weighty matters

I added weight using my usual method of clean dry sand.  I inserted a spacer of foam to the top of the carbody to keep the weight in the lower part of the body so the center of gravity was as low as possible.  Thinned white glue was applied with a syringe to hold the sand in place.  Total for the car will be 9 ounces, enough to keep it on the track properly. A bit of cleaning and the floor will fit right as it should.  Next up are the few remaining car body details and ladders.

Addition of about 5.5 ounces of sand will give the car a decent amount of heft.  

Marc Simpson

I Like...

...the Idea of weighting with sand. Clever.

Nice model too can't wait to see it finished.

Ready to paint

A quick update on these resin kits, I have finished the auto transporter and tank hopper car, now to get them painted.  The weather is getting nicer so I see paint in the not too distant future.

The tank hopper was especially challenging as finding photos or information of any sort on the brake piping arrangement was very difficult.  I ended up "faking" it based on what photos I could locate and some logical guesswork. Of course as soon as I paint it I'll find the perfect photos to show what I did wrong.  Maybe the best way to find more information is to finish the project you needed it for.  

Marc Simpson

Great work.

Great work.